off days, down days - when it is a job.

NUTHA JASON

NUTHA JASON

Senior Administrator
last night was one of those gigs. the sound was very muddy on the stage, the bass guitarist was in his own world, the audience was too sober, the stage was too hot and my snare was just not sounding right to me. parking was also an issue and the zip broke on my tom case.
It was one of those days when you have to suck it in and be a professional. i wanted to be at home with a good movie and a bucket of chicken. it all picked up well in the second set but for most of the gig i was going through the motions. a fake grin right to the end.
ever had one of these? they are rare for me but sometimes a gig is a job.
j
 
That's why I stopped gigging long ago. I didn't enjoy playing in bars and I didn't enjoy playing for a bunch of dancing drunks. I don't encourage my son to play in a band at all. But , yes I do know what you mean and I don't really miss that at all.
 
Envy those smart enough to not even start.

I think the simmering pot of musicians is no longer the bar or pub....its the basement or converted garage.

The window looks less like a stage and more like a self posted youtube video.

Difficult to bring $ to the performer now...but the quality of music produced will increase.
 
Oh, yes. I simply rest secure in the knowledge that as long as the crowd is dancing, THEY think you're tops.
 
Been down that road many times......

It's supposed to be fun....playing in a band I mean....and if it's not, it gets to be like regular job. Why work at two jobs when one will do?

I play for the fun of it...the money I make at a gig is a "perk" for the love of my playing the drums. But like Bigd says....playing in bars to drunks is getting old to me and I will retire from it this year for sure.
 
I feel I ought to be a bit more specific.

Even in the best band situations, you can draw a gig where nothing seems to be fun or easy, and that gig feels like work. However, the overall band experience is golden, and you're essentially happy with things.

If the band situation itself turns into a punch-clocking dreaded experience, then it's time to re-evaluate. Even for pay, how long do you allow yourself to be subjected to drama or heartache?
 
bigd said:
That's why I stopped gigging long ago. I didn't enjoy playing in bars and I didn't enjoy playing for a bunch of dancing drunks.
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Likewise. I no longer care to entertain drunk strangers in bars with whom I have little in common. I reached the point Al described. I just want to make music. I enjoy fundraisers. Always a good vibe.

Yep, Jason, bad days ... the most important thing for me are the acoustics and stage mix. It's inspiring when everything is clear with nice overtones. When they're not right - when you can barely hear the vocalist or bassist, the gig's reduced to painting by numbers - just get through it.

A crowd that doesn't like your band's style isn't much fun either. And then there's plain old biorhythms ... some days we're more centred than others.
 
NUTHA JASON said:
last night was one of those gigs. the sound was very muddy on the stage, the bass guitarist was in his own world, the audience was too sober, the stage was too hot and my snare was just not sounding right to me. parking was also an issue and the zip broke on my tom case.
It was one of those days when you have to suck it in and be a professional. i wanted to be at home with a good movie and a bucket of chicken. it all picked up well in the second set but for most of the gig i was going through the motions. a fake grin right to the end.
ever had one of these? they are rare for me but sometimes a gig is a job.
j
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I definitely feel you my friend

I do a gig helping out a good friend a couple times a month.
they are usually on Monday Wednesday or sunday nights ....which I hate
its always a semi early set at this place where the route I have to take is always completely congested with traffic.

I usually dont take any money from him because he is a good friend and has to pay the rest of the hired guys and doesnt make a whole lot to begin with ....so Im basically doing this for free out of the kindness of my heart.

a couple weeks ago Im on my way to the gig in my wifes car because mine is in the shop.
in traffic ofcourse and this old woman rear ends me.
so i deal with that...get to the gig late...pull up in front of the venue and start unloading.
I put may hardware bag (i use the soft one at smaller gigs) sort of near the curb behind me and start pulling out the drums.
a young girl on a cell phone comes barreling up to the place and runs over my hardware case ... realizes she hit something so she backs up and drags my bag with her.
so that sucks... completely bent some of my stands.

we get into the venue....the soundman never shows up and he is the only one who has a key for the cabinet that the mics are in

so we play unmiced....which is fine being an instrumental group...we played ok but I just couldnt get into my zone ...and yeah I didnt take any money again when he offered it at the end of the night because it just wasnt that much and I couldnt take that amount from a friend

here is a link to a short piece of one of his songs from a gig that was not a complete nightmare

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOPOqHYr2XQ&context=C4dbc809ADvjVQa1PpcFNYipqDoPkpQ4CeP0VMuRpES5axRMnfE_M=
 
Pollyanna said:
Likewise. I no longer care to entertain drunk strangers in bars with whom I have little in common. I reached the point Al described. I just want to make music. I enjoy fundraisers. Always a good vibe.
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We played a casino night benefit for a local fire company Saturday night, and after the first few minutes, everyone disappeared to go sit at the gaming tables. While they could hear us playing, no one was really watching us so there was virtually no interaction with the audience. While many said they enjoyed our playing, we were reduced to basically background music. This was the 4th year in a row I've played this unpaid gig, and I'm going to vote NO next year.

Can I borrow some of your drunk patrons who would at least pay attention to the band? LOL
 
We've all had those types of gigs, but I love playing live and the duff gigs get made up for by the ones where you connect with the audience and give them a really good night. That said, I can almost always say that a couple of hours before the gig, I start wondereing why I do this, but the playing makes up for all that- it's not the p[laying I don't like, it's the making the effort to go and then setting up and tearing down.

We play a venue in the north of Scotland which involves a 400 mile round trip and an overnight stay. Sure, it's a bit of a hassle, and as the owner/driver of the van, I work harder than most, but I wouldn't miss it for the atmosphere- the crowd are really appreciative that we bother to go. We cover our costs and make a few £'s, but other than that we do it for the love of it. I think that if I didn't gig, I wouldn't see the point in playing at all and take up golf or something instead.
 
I've had so many bad gigs.Like one in Baltimore years ago.
I was in a Zappa instrumental cover band and I was told there would be a kit for me to play. Well, I get there and there is no kit. We are last up, and the guy in the other band wants to go home- so can't use his kit.
The soundman walks up and takes me under the stage, where old music gear goes to die. He pulls out a three piece Tama Superstar kit that is so beat up it's just a mass of scratches. I t appeared to be blue once. The heads are toast- probably 20 years old.
So I set up this piece of crap (I had my snare and cymbals) and proceed to bang out our selection of Zappa songs (which are not easy tunes) on this thing.
After a song or two I look up and the club is totally empty. Except for one guy mopping the floor.
There is nothing more depressing playing to a guy with his back to you mopping the floor.
 
After a song or two I look up and the club is totally empty. Except for one guy mopping the floor.
There is nothing more depressing playing to a guy with his back to you mopping the floor.
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lol lol lol. that reminds me of a gig i did in south africa at a place called the female head shaving association. no bald females - just the cleaner, an old biker dude and our manager.
 
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